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Although I thoroughly enjoyed the recent indie games event was undoubtedly entertaining, my main revelation was not the intended one: I am declaring that 2026 will be the unrivaled era for frogs in video games.

A surprising total of five of the featured titles—Frog Sqwad, Stretchmancer, Unshine Arcade, Awaysis, and Big Hops—prominently include these hoppy characters. Given that a collection of frogs is known as an army, it feels they are staking their claim.

The Enduring Appeal of Amphibians

Frogs are far from new to the gaming landscape. Looking back at titles like Frogger to the coveted froggy chair in Animal Crossing, they have long held a special place. Yet, their visibility has markedly increased in recent times.

A quick search for "frog game" on Steam reveals an overwhelming flood of results. Granted, some of these are novelty titles, a great many are serious titles centered on frogs.

Charting the Croak Comeback

To understand this phenomenon, I performed a deep dive into the past five years of amphibian-themed gaming on Steam. My criteria was somewhat arbitrary, prioritizing games with frogs in the title or clearly visible in screenshots.

The findings paint a clear picture: a consistent increase from less than 20 titles in 2020 to almost 60 in 2025.

This significant surge prompts the question: where is this interest coming from? The frog's rising status in the public consciousness is somewhat evident elsewhere, such as the popularity of Frog and Toad as nostalgic figures. But, the wave in gaming appears especially strong.

Why Frogs? The Game Design Advantage

Honestly, this is a trend I can wholeheartedly support. Frogs have natural design advantages for game developers.

• Weird Little Guys: They are perfectly suited to be designed as quirky characters that frequently end up as a standout feature in any game.
• Unique Gameplay: Their stretchy limbs and sticky tongues lend themselves to a host of innovative control schemes.

Many of the announced projects smartly employ these traits. Take the tongue-based traversal in Big Hops and the extra-long limb puzzles of Stretchmancer.

On the Cusp of a Croaking Renaissance

So, what is the outlook for 2026? Given five frog games publicly revealed before the year has even started—and the potential for more—the trajectory is clear for it to be the largest year yet.

When these games are received positively—and traditionally, games from this showcase tend to succeed—we may indeed be on the verge of a full-blown croaking cultural moment.